J-K: Tourists feared killed in alleged terror attack in Pahalgam, final toll not yet known

Suspected terrorists of Pahalgham in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing multiple people and injuring at least 20, officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the death toll was still being ascertained. "This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years," he posted on X.

The incident occurred at around 3.00 pm when terrorists came down from the mountain in Baisaran valley and started firing at the tourists at Pahalgam, often dubbed 'mini Switzerland' because of its lush green meadows and picturesque mountain scenery.

The terror attack came at a time when US vice-president J.D. Vance and his family are on a four-day visit to the country. He was in Rajasthan on Tuesday.

A purported video of the attack site emerged showing several people bleeding and lying motionless on the ground while women tourists were wailing and frantically looking for their near and dear ones. No independent official verification was available.

"I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased," CM Abdullah said.

The incident comes at a time when Kashmir is witnessing a surge in tourist arrivals after reeling under militancy for years. Also, the 38-day Amarnath pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on 3 July.

The death toll is still being ascertained so I don’t want to get in to those details. They will be officially conveyed as the situation becomes clearer. Needless to say this attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 22, 2025

Authorities pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured persons, the officials said adding some of the injured were brought down from the meadows by local people on their ponies.

A doctor at the Pahalgam hospital said 12 injured tourists had been admitted to the hospital and the condition of all of them was stable. "My husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack," a woman survivor told PTI over phone.

VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir: Visuals of firing incident in Pahalgam, several are feared injured in terrorist attack. More details awaited.#Pahalgam #terrorist

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/TpAvAooYDm

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 22, 2025

According to initial reports, the terrorists emerged from the dense pine forests surrounding the Baisaran, which was a famous spot for Bollywood movie makers in the 1980s.

A little earlier, Army, CRPF and local police rushed to Baisaran meadows after the news started coming down to the town, a senior police official said in Srinagar. A massive anti-terrorist operation has been launched to hunt down the assailants as security forces have fanned out in all directions, they said.

Meanwhile, the Pahalgam resort which was teeming with tourists until this afternoon wore a deserted look soon after the attack, with tourists leaving the place, fearing for their safety, the officials said.

Baisaran is a major tourism location in Pahalgam, besides being a campsite for trekkers who want to move further up to Tulian Lake. The area is accessible through ponies from Pahalgam and en route, offers a panoramic view of Pahalgam town and Lidder Valley.

Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country travel to the Amarnath cave shrine using the twin routes — the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal district.